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"Little Lost" Is a Humorous Reminder to Think Before You Buy

This winter’s polar vortex hasn’t spared New Yorkers any fury. Giant piles of snow have become so common that the city almost doesn’t seem the same without them. As they’ve melted, they’ve revealed a number of lost and forgotten treasures. While many people walk by without noticing such debris, they haven’t escaped the watchful eye of NYC-based artist Yoonjin Lee. She dutifully rescues these material orphans and outfits them with tiny arms and signs that share with the world stories of their loneliness. Lee photographs these forlorn objects around the city as part of her “Little Lost” project.

Lee’s work has often invoked themes of conscious consumerism. She believes that endeavors like “Little Lost" will compel people to be more reflective and careful with their things. She also believes that though her collected objects may, on the surface, seem like trivial items, they’re actually deeply connected to our identities and routines. Each of these objects has a story, and Lee is determined to make sure the world hears it.